The Key to Success is Paying Attention~

I remember when my daughter was very young, I used to tell her this all of the time. “The Key to Success is Paying Attention.” I have no idea where I came up with such a phrase, but it sounded good to me, so I ran with it. Poor girl! I’m sure she’d feel like hitting me over the head with one of her many Waterbabies every time I’d repeat those words to her.

Well, she survived and now she’s away at college and I often wonder if she ever thinks of that little phrase.

Today, I was thinking about my Band and my eating habits since becoming a Bandster - Jan. 29, 2008. I know previously, I rarely paid attention to what I consumed. In fact, if I wasn’t on one of my many diets, I didn’t pay attention at all. It was pretty much a free for all. I have to admit, I did eat things that would be considered very unhealthy. Well, very unhealthy in most circles. I’m sure that goes without saying! AFTERALL I was super morbidy obese. (WAS!)

Now that I’ve been banded, I strive to be fully aware of each and every thing I eat. I log my food online at www.fitday.com. And many times I am shocked to find that I’ve consumed way more calories than I had planned. I have sadly figured out that one cookie from my favorite bakery is over 460 calories. Four hundred and sixty calories is almost half of my daily caloric intake! I was devastated to obtain this information. I remember I was sitting on my bed - diligently logging my food in for the day. I had to go to www.CalorieKing.com to find out how many calories that one cookie was - the one cookie that I just had to eat - the one cookie that my head insisted I have, that one chocolate, pecan cookie! I searched CalorieKing and finally found the bakery - looked on the list and found the cookie, clicked on it - CHOKE!! Oh My Goodness! I couldn’t believe my eyes! Was it really worth 460 calories? It wasn’t even that large!

Now that it’s been consumed and months have passed since that night, I can honestly say, “NO, it wasn’t worth it!” So why did I eat it? I saw it, I was hungry - I wanted it. I could have ordered some soup or a half of a sandwich. I could have gotten something more substantial, something healthy, something that would have fed my body the nutrients it needed, but I didn’t. I wasn’t paying attention.

I think of my weight loss since being banded and I wonder. Could I have lost more if I hadn’t had the occasional slip? Would I be almost to goal, if I had paid attention?

Then I think about all the times I did pay attention. I think of all the rules I’ve followed to the letter! I think of all the times I listened to my body and didn’t eat - because my body wasn’t hungry. I think of all the times I passed up that cookie - that piece of cake - or that bag of tortilla chips. I’m not looking for applause here. NO reason for praise! I haven’t been perfect by any stretch of my imagination. But I have followed the Bander rules. I’m almost obsessed with following the rules. I’m sure some of my friends are bothered by my compulsion to not break the rules.

I remember hearing a seasoned bander say, “I didn’t get this band to be on a diet!” I thought, that makes sense. If I could have stayed on a diet - gotten to goal and maintained it, I would have never had to get a band. I’d be perfect. I don’t want to be on a diet. I don’t want to feel I am depriving myself of things I crave. BUT I do want to take the new habits I’ve learned and make them my new lifestyle. I want to enjoy the healthier foods, not because that is what my nut suggests I eat, but because they taste good and they are good for me.

I want to eat with awareness. I want to pay attention - and know that I am feeding my body good nutritious meals. I’m okay with not being perfect… I’m not okay with not paying attention.

Success is my goal! Paying attention will get me there!

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May 19, 2009 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

Comments

2 Responses to “The Key to Success is Paying Attention~”

Zazzy on May 19th, 2009 8:47 am

I have to admit, I thought it was going to be easier. I’m almost six months out from surgery and still struggling with trying to find the right fill. There are days that this feels like any other diet.

A lot of the new habits seem second nature now and, like you, I want to keep those habits. One of the biggest struggles I still have is paying enough attention when I’m eating. I keep resisting that one thing - to not read, watch tv, play on the computer or whatever while I eat.
dee on May 22nd, 2009 11:57 pm

I have to agree with you! It’s so hard to not eat fast and take big bites. It’s a habit I’ve had for 45 years! Well, atleast 44!
It hurts my feelings when my friends think I have taken the easy way out! I wish other people knew how hard this is! Head hunger is a huge deal for me! When I have a good fill level like I have… I don’t get tummy hungry for 4 or 5 hours, but I have head hunger! IT’s difficult some times to stop and think “am I really hungry?” — thankfully I am not, but the cravings are there!

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